Need Global Effort for Clean Energy: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the G20 summit in Brisbane on Sunday , pitched for a global effort to make clean energy available to all through concerted actions, saying it could be a major economic opportunity for all countries.

Modi made it clear that his country's dependence on coal would not be reduced “very soon“.

The remark is a clear indication that India is not at all ready at this juncture to compromise with its goal to provide electricity to all and for this, the country, besides tapping solar, wind and nuclear power, will continue to use coal substantially.

Seeking collective R&D effort and collaboration in the direction of having clean energy, Modi proposed to set up a “global virtual centre“ for clean energy research and development, with adequate public funding,

The public funding will fund collaborative projects in diverse sources of clean energy , smart grids and energy efficiency .

The PM articulated these points in his statement on energy at the G20 summit.